Changeling Aging
The canon lifespan for kithain in the CtD books makes for whistful and tragic story, but its systematically vague and hard to play in chronicles measured in years rather than months. The following is an alteration for CC that is meant to fit the theme of the room and be easier on players. How Kithain Age in CC Before their Crysallis, kithain age like normal humans. About half of the kithain who aren't Undone early experience life as childing-wildling-grump. Typically, childlings awaken around the age of 5-7 but it can be up to two years before or after. Another 40 percent awaken later as wildlings around the age of 15-17 with the same varience. Most awaken by the time by the time they are 21, however, 1% percent don't awake before they are grumps around the age of 40-42. Once a kithain has their Crysallis, they begin to age twice as fast as human beings. This isn't outwardly noticeable in their human seeming just their faerie mein. High banality (6+) can cause this to increase even faster. Kithain become Undone from age when they reach the apparent age of 80-100 or permanant banality of 10, whichever comes first. This is true for all Kithain who take the Changeling Way; the Arcadian Sidhe who managed to body-snatch during the Resurgence (such as the 13 Fiona Sidhe who performed the Donian I Iachau at Wandering Moon) have the Faerie Eternity merit and don't age at all until their banality becomes exceptionally high (8+). Kithain in Bedlam (any threshold) also do not age. When any kithain except the Resurgence sidhe becomes Undone by age and banality, their kithain soul goes dormant and they are lost to the Dreaming until mortal death. When one of the Resurgents becomes Undone, they die completely. A changeling who has their crysallis at the age of six years old will look that age in both their human seeming and fairie mein. However, they then start to gain two years of age for every year they live. At the real age of ten, they will appear to be fifteen- which is the age in CC that kithain gain the legacy of wilders (rather than the canonical thirteen). If their banality remains five or less, then at the real age of twenty-four they will appear to be forty-two. This is the age in CC that kithain gain the legacy of grump. If their banality remains five or less (which is unlikely), then at the real age of forty-two they will appear to be eighty years old and fall into the realm of becoming Undone. So the "normal lifespan" of a Changeling who manages to keep their banality low is about 42 years. This example kithain spent four real years as a childling, fourteen real years as a wilding and twenty four real years as a grump. Changelings who live in freeholds or glades don't age but they can't stay there more than half their time without risking bedlam. If they manage to balance their mortal life and freehold life, these lucky kithain age like normal humans. So if this same six year old who had their Crysallis was lucky enough to be taken into the service of the Duke or the Mastersmith, they would have nine or ten years as a childling before maturation and becoming a wildling. They would have about twenty six years as a wildling and about forty years as a grump. Keeping their banality low without going into bedlam is the challange for all Changelings. The Faerie Immortality merit is restricted to the Resurgent Sidhe and a handful of transfer characters. What does this house rule on aging change in terms of the social dynamics of the CtD game? There are fewer childlings and wildlings and a lot more grumps. kithain are able to secure and keep titles and positions a lot longer with less Court mobility over the short term. There is less focus on the "fleeting' nature of the Changelings. On the other hand, its very hard for the kithain to keep any semblence of their original human identity unless they get themselves a safe place within a holding- and freeholds can only support a given number of kithain; the balefires can only feed a limited number of sparks at a time. Its the nature of kithain to be capricious and self-serving; those who possess freeholds are well aware of how eager most kithain are to have a place in one. They can exile or banish those who defy (or even annoy them) as they please. Most keepers of freeholders will take in childlings, especially fledges, if they can make room for them. They are considered precious and their legacy should be preserved as long as it can. However, retainers who have loyally served for a long time and proven themselves are not going to be removed from their place. This leaves wildlings and less trusted or less well-liked grumps in the most jeapordy of being displaced. The best way to protect themselves is to make themselves valuable to the ruler or ranking members of the court as lovers or other "special" companions like bodyguards, spies, assassins. Part of proving their value might be intentionally sabotaging someone elses. Changelings who lack a place in a freehold or glade are much more likely to gain excessive banality- and this excessive banality will dramatically speed up their aging process. Banality of 6-7 will cause a Changeling to age 4x as fast as a human. Banality of 8-9 will cause a Changeling to age 8x as fast, including a sidhe with fairie immortality who is not effected by lesser banality. Spending half their time in a freehold or glade cuts these effects in half. ----